"You Son of a XX!"... Middle School Teacher Faces Controversy Over Inappropriate Conduct

Shouting Profanities and Threats in the Hallway... Student in Tears
Smoking Indoors, Neglecting Classes... Principal: "Ignores Instructions"
Parents: "Children Are Afraid to Go to School"

At a middle school in Wando County, South Jeolla Province, controversy has arisen as a physical education teacher has reportedly subjected students to habitual verbal abuse, including swearing and yelling, and has failed to conduct classes properly for several months.

According to testimonies from parents and students on the 21st, since first being assigned to A Middle School in Wando County in March this year, physical education teacher B has consistently shouted and used profanity during classes, causing significant psychological distress to students.

Wando A Middle School sent an official letter issuing a "warning" to teacher B for "inappropriate language and behavior as well as negligent work performance." Photo by Lee Jungkyung

The situation escalated particularly on September 25, just before the midterm exams, when B was witnessed shouting at a first-year student in the first-floor hallway, saying, "You son of a XX! What are you doing carrying a book without wearing your gym clothes, you XX!" Students and staff who witnessed the incident at the time were reportedly shocked.

One student who observed the situation said, "The principal was startled by the shouting and rushed out into the hallway," adding, "The friend who was yelled at was so frightened that they cried."

According to students and parents, B habitually uses profanity depending on their mood and has threatened students who did not wear gym clothes by saying, "I’ll make you do push-ups for an hour," among other inappropriate behaviors.

There have also been claims that classes were not conducted properly. According to a school official, during physical education classes, B would often just throw a ball to the students and let them play without any guidance, and there were many days when no class was held at all.

During the recent sports day, it was alleged that B delegated event management to a special education teacher and a temporary teacher, while B spent the time on the sidelines of the field using a mobile phone and did not participate in the class at all.

As the problem persisted over an extended period, some parents complained that their children were under severe stress due to B’s behavior. One parent protested, "How can a teacher not conduct classes properly and verbally abuse students?" There were also reports that after this, B ignored the parent entirely, treating them as if they were invisible when they met at school.

An even more serious issue is B’s attitude toward work. According to students and staff, B was frequently seen smoking inside the school building during class hours, leaving to buy cigarettes at a convenience store and returning late or not at all, and even missing classes after falling asleep in their car.

A Middle School is both B’s alma mater and located in their hometown, and due to the intertwined senior-junior relationships within the local community, parents have found it difficult to raise concerns openly.

As the situation worsened, some parents filed formal complaints with the Wando Office of Education and the school. In response, the Office of Education conducted an on-site investigation, confirmed B’s inappropriate language and work attitude, and reported the findings to the South Jeolla Provincial Office of Education.

An official from the Office of Education stated, "According to the relevant procedures, teacher B will be transferred to another school in March next year." However, the issue remains that several months are left until the transfer, during which students must continue to attend B’s classes. Parents are therefore calling for the education office to take more immediate action to separate the teacher from the students.

One parent strongly demanded, "My child is now so afraid of going to school that we are even considering psychiatric counseling. Please do not wait until next year and separate the teacher from the students immediately."

The school stated that although B had been warned multiple times, there had been no real improvement. The principal commented, "B says they will change, but in reality, does not follow instructions," expressing frustration.

Meanwhile, B explained, "I may have responded emotionally while trying to conduct classes strictly for the students’ safety, but I did not realize the students would be hurt," and added, "I did not neglect classes, I just gave frequent breaks."